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Journal of Asian Vocational Education and Training
Vol. 16-2, 2023
ISSN 2005-0550
A Comparison of STEM Education Status and Trends in Five
Highly Competitive Countries in the Asia-Pacific Region
Yi-Fang Lee
National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan
*Lung-Sheng Lee
Ministry of Examination, Taiwan
Hoang Bao Ngoc Nguyen
National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan
*Corresponding author: lungshenglee@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Aiming to identify the status and trends in the STEM education in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, this paper
summarizes the findings of STEM education from the following five highly competitive APAC countries—
Canada (CA), Hong Kong SAR (HK), Singapore (SG), Taiwan (TW), and the United States of America
(USA). After that, a cross-country comparison is made concerning three aspects (background, current status,
trends and issues) and 11 components of STEM education. Consequently, 11 conclusions, corresponding to
the comparison components, are generated. To sum up, STEM education is drawing great attention in the
five APAC countries, and some of them even consider it as a priority in current education reform. Despite
the fact that the traditional education with a focus on mono-disciplinary approach is dominating, a growing
number of educators are aware of the importance of applying an interdisciplinary approach to encourage
students to understand themes and ideas that cut across disciplines, to connect them between different
disciplines, and to extend their relationship to the real world for better redefining of problems outside of
normal boundaries and generating solutions based on a new understanding of the complex situations.
Assuredly, STEM education will continue to be promoted in these countries and will move forward in a rapid
manner as concerted efforts are made by policy makers, teachers, and the other stakeholders. In addition,
VET may play a vital role as a natural delivery system for STEM education.
Keywords: STEM education, comparative analysis, highly competitive countries, Asia-Pacific
(APAC) Region
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
STEM education is a field of study that combines science (S), technology (T), engineering
(E), and mathematics (M). The quantity and quality of talented individuals in STEM fields contribute to a
nation's overall competitiveness. Taiwan and many countries around the world are vigorously promoting the
training of STEM professionals and the enhancement of STEM literacy for all as one of the key education
objectives.
Aiming to achieve the following two goals, the first two authors edited a non-profit book (Lee &
Lee, 2022; hereafter called the STEM book) which was published in late 2022: (1) to strengthen mutual
understanding and connections between Taiwan and other highly competitive countries in the area of STEM
education; and (2) to give highly competitive countries the opportunity to share their experiences in STEM
education, mainly at the primary and secondary levels. The two editors-in-chief formulated manuscript
guidelines including cross-country comparison components. Then, they invited STEM educators from 10
countries in the top 15 countries/economies in the International Institute for Management Development (IMD)
World Competitiveness Ranking 2021 to follow the guidelines to write up country-report chapters. A peer
review of all manuscripts was conducted and authors were requested to make necessary revisions. After that,
the three authors of this paper made a cross-country comparison which was presented as the 11th chapter.
That is to say, the STEM book comprises 10 country reports and one cross-country comparison.
A Comparison of STEM Education Status and Trends in Five Highly Competitive Countries in the Asia -
Pacific Region
13
All vocational education and training (VET) programs address not only technology but also some
aspects of science, mathematics, and engineering. That is, all occupationally oriented VET is STEM-related,
and VET is a natural delivery system for STEM education (NASDCTEc, 2013; Stone, n.d.). However, what
are the STEM education status and trends in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region? To answer this question, a
country-specific study and cross-country comparison should be conducted.
Timely analysis and understanding of the status and trends in STEM education can help both STEM
and VET stakeholders realize and cope with them. Educating and training in the direction of the trend and
resolving the important issues can help maximize the chances of success in STEM and VET. Therefore, the
purpose of this paper was to identify the status and trends in the STEM education in the five APAC countries.
The five highly competitive countries were all APAC countries/economies in the 10 countries reported on in
the STEM book. They were Canada (CA), Hong Kong SAR (HK), Singapore (SG), Taiwan (TW), and the
United States of America (USA). STEM education in this paper refers to the integration of Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics into a transdisciplinary subject or course in K-12 schools. They
can be offered on a continuum between the following two extremes: (1) Integrated STEM in which science
inquiry, technological literacy, mathematical thinking and engineering design are interwoven in the classroom,
and (2) Separated S. T. E. M. in which each subject is taught separately with the hope that the synthesis of
disciplinary knowledge will be applied.
METHOD AND PROCEDURE
To achieve the above purpose, a cross-country analysis with a word cloud analysis was employed. Aiming to
realize differences and similarities with respect to the components analyzed, a cross country analysis is a
comparison of some specific components of analysis across countries (IGI Global, 2021). The following four
steps proposed in Bereday’s comparative method in education were used in the cross country analysis: (1)
description of STEM education materials in each country, (2) interpretation of the STEM education data in
the matrix of sociological circumstances in which they operated; (3) juxtaposition in which STEM education
materials from different countries were tabulated side by side to see whether they can be compared, and (4)
comparison of the STEM education conditions which were later redefined by the authors as a balanced (i.e.,
evenly matched) and simultaneous alignment (i.e., cross referenced) (Bereday, 1977). A word cloud is a visual
representation of word frequency. Aiming to identify the focus of written material, a word cloud analysis is a
simple method not only to analyze the content of the text, but also to display the higher frequency words in
the text in a larger font (Atenstaed, 2012).
The data analyzed in this paper were extracted from the STEM book and processed as follows:
1. Five country-specific STEM education status and trends
For the STEM book, every book chapter author(s) was/were requested to keep the length of each chapter
between 10,000 and 12,000 words, and to state their STEM education status and trends based on the three
aspects and 11 components shown in Table 1. For this paper, each country’s STEM education status and
trends were extracted from the five country report chapters. The five country-specific trends files were
combined into one file and imported into the online word cloud generator, WordItOut, to generate one word
cloud, shown as Figure 1. When examining the word cloud, common English words were ignored. The word
cloud was applied to confirm and make up the data described below.
Table 1: The three aspects and 11 components summarized and compared in this paper
Aspects
Components
1. STEM education
background
1.1 Supply and demand of a STEM-skilled workforce
1.2 Schooling System
1.3 Influence of Government on STEM Education
2. Status of STEM education
2.1 Contexts of STEM education
2.2 STEM education system/framework
2.3 STEM-related activities in non-formal education
2.4 STEM learning assessment and career development
2.5 STEM teacher qualification and professional training
2.6 Current STEM education reforms and policy discussions
3. Trends and issues in STEM
education
3.1 Major trends in STEM education
3.2 Major issues in STEM education
A Comparison of STEM Education Status and Trends in Five Highly Competitive Countries in the Asia -
Pacific Region
14
2. A cross-country comparison of STEM TVE trends and issues
As stated earlier, a cross-country comparison of STEM education was presented in the 11th chapter
of the STEM book. The three comparison aspects and 11 comparison components, shown in Table 1 were
prescribed in the manuscript guidelines and sent to authors when they were invited to make contributions to
the STEM book. After the peer review process and necessary revisions of all manuscripts were completed,
the findings regarding the comparison components were drawn from the manuscript and listed in comparative
tables (i.e., Tables 1, 2 and 3), to request its author’s/authors’ confirmation. In this paper, the comparison of
STEM status and trends was extracted from the 11th chapter of the STEM book. The extracted data were
reexamined with the word cloud, and necessary supplements as well as rephrasing were made.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Based on the three aspects and 11 components shown in Table 1, the results of this paper are presented and
discussed as follows:
1.A comparison of the STEM education background
This section compares the STEM education background of the five countries. The comparison is based on
three components: supply and demand of a STEM-skilled workforce, the schooling system, and the influence
government exerts on STEM education in the five countries. Table 1 shows a summary of the three
comparison components for each country.
1.1 Supply and Demand of STEM-Skilled Workforce
According to the country’s reports, all five APAC countries agree that the STEM skills are vital for the
fulfilment of a knowledge-based future, and recognize the importance of cultivating STEM talent for
economic growth. However, it seems that a shortage of STEM workers is a common and significant challenge
for all of the countries. Most countries mentioned that the gap between supply and demand of the STEM
workforce is massive. The STEM-related job vacancies have been increasing greatly, while the number of
STEM graduates cannot keep pace with the skill demand. Faced with this challenge, the governments in most
countries have expressed an eagerness to increase the number of STEM students, and have implemented
policies to attract more students to study STEM.
1.2 Schooling System
For the structure of the schooling system in the five SAPAC countries, some countries with a federal system
of government (such as CA and the USA) have a decentralized system of education wherein curricula and
policy are under the jurisdiction of each state/province/ territory. The other countries’ governments (such as
HK, SG, and TW) are more centralized, wherein national curriculum guidelines have been published to guide
teachers’ teaching in all schools, especially for the core/required courses in compulsory education. Generally,
compulsory education in most countries covers from primary education to middle school or lower secondary
education, lasting 9-10 years. A few cases have extended compulsory education upward to upper secondary
education level (such as the USA). In addition, the education systems in countries such as SG and TW have
a dual-track feature in which there are separate high schools and colleges/universities dedicated to TVE.
1.3 Influence of Government on STEM Education
The five highly competitive countries all agree with the importance of STEM education, while the strength
of influence that each government exerts varies to some extent. In countries like HK, TW, and the USA, the
central/federal government plays a dominant and proactive role in promoting K-12 STEM education. For
example, the USA treats STEM education as a priority and a national agenda wherein the Department of
Education provides funding and resources. Also, the White House unveiled a STEM education strategic plan,
detailing the federal government’s strategy for expanding and improving the nation’s capacity for STEM
education. Besides government support for policies, strategies, or resources, the Department of Education in
some countries (such as HK and TW) has developed national guidelines to promote the STEM education
curriculum and partnerships between schools, teachers, and industries. The Canadian government, by
contrast, allocates most of the federal funding to postsecondary education and research, while funding for K-
12 STEM education is negligible.
A Comparison of STEM Education Status and Trends in Five Highly Competitive Countries in the Asia -
Pacific Region
15
Table 1: A summary of the supply and demand of a STEM-skilled workforce, schooling system, and influence
of government on STEM education
Comparison
Components
Countries
Canada (CA)
Hong Kong SAR
(HK)
Singapore (SG)
Taiwan (TW)
United States of
America (USA)
Supply and
demand of a
STEM-
skilled
workforce
1. There are
current shortages
of engineers, IT
workers,
healthcare
specialists, and
some
tradespeople,
especially
electricians.
2. There is an
economic
demand for
additional
emphases on
STEM. The
demand for
people who can
fill STEM-related
jobs will increase
in Canada.
3. About 25% of
postsecondary
students are
STEM majors,
and government
policies aim to
increase this for
economic
purposes.
1. Although the
HKSAR
Government has
announced
policies and
measures to
develop an
Innovation and
Technology
(I&T) ecosystem,
HK has been
struggling hard to
cultivate a
critical mass of
talent in the
younger
generation. There
were only 6.6
researchers per
thousand
employments in
2018.
2. It is necessary
to look for novel
educational
initiatives like
STEM in HK
primary and
secondary
education.
1. The economic
growth of SG is
largely reliant on
STEM-related
industrial sectors
such as
electronics,
biomedical
science, and
precision
engineering.
2. The key skills
growth areas for
the continued
development of
SG society and
economy are
related to the
digital economy,
green economy
& care economy
that are STEM-
related.
3. SG STEM
education
continues to
flourish for K-12
schools.
4. However, the
% of STEM
undergraduates
& graduates has
not reached the
desired level for
either males or
females.
1. The proportion
of STEM talent
shortage reached
63.5% of the total
need in 2020,
mainly including
the information
technology,
science, statistics,
and engineering
fields.
2. The
government has
expressed an
eagerness to
improve the
number of STEM
professionals and
enhance
Taiwan’s
international
competitiveness
through
education.
1. There is a
shortage of
STEM workers.
Between 2020
and 2030, the
U.S. jobs in
STEM are
expected to grow
10.5% (to more
than 11 million)
which is 1.4
times faster than
non-STEM
occupations
(7.5%).
2. The annual
median salary for
STEM degree
graduates is 2
times higher than
those who
graduate in a
non-STEM
occupation.
3. The STEM
workforce
represented 23%
of the total U.S.
workforce in
2019.
4. Over half of
the STEM
workers do not
have a bachelor’s
degree and work
primarily in
health care,
construction
trades,
installation,
maintenance and
repair, and
production
occupations.
A Comparison of STEM Education Status and Trends in Five Highly Competitive Countries in the Asia -
Pacific Region
16
Schooling
system
1.Decentralized
system of
education,
wherein
curriculum and
policy are
under the
jurisdiction of
each province
and territory.
2. K-12+
STEM
education in
CA includes
elementary,
secondary, and
tertiary or
postsecondary
education
levels.
The HK
education
system
includes K
(kindergarten,
3 years), Key
stage 1-2
(primary
education, 6
years), Key
stage 3-4
(secondary, 6
years), 18+
(post-
secondary, 4
years), and
post-graduate
level.
1. Preschool
is not
compulsory
but all must
attend a
national
primary
school.
2. Primary
school (6
years),
secondary (4-
5 years), &
pre-university
(2-3 years)/
polytechnic.
3. There are
multiple
educational
pathways
(tracks) after
primary
school: IP,
Express,
Normal
(Academic &
Technical)
courses.
4. All tracks
present
opportunities
to pursue a
university
course of
study.
Opportunities
to study
science and
math are
available at
every grade
level.
1. A 6-3-3-4
education system,
including stages
of elementary
school, middle
school, upper
secondary school
(general and
technical high
schools), and
college/university
education.
2. A 12-year
basic education is
offered and
grades 1 to 9 are
compulsory
education.
1. K-12
schooling is
primarily
achieved
through
public
education,
while there
are some
alternatives,
such as
private
schools, home
schooling,
and charter
schools.
2. Public
education is
free and
compulsory;
students’
dropout age
varies
(between
14-18 years
of age) by
state.
3. Secondary
education
typically
includes a
middle/ junior
high school
and a high
school
experience.
4. After high
school,
students can
enroll in a
community
college,
college or
university.
A Comparison of STEM Education Status and Trends in Five Highly Competitive Countries in the Asia -
Pacific Region
17
Influence
of
government
on STEM
education
1. Federal,
provincial,
and territorial
governments
have been
active in the
STEM
education
policy
context. The
federal
government
has 31
initiatives of
STEM
education,
while most
are not K-12
school-based.
2. The large
bulk of
federal STEM
funding is for
postsecondary
education and
research,
while a
negligible
fraction is
allocated to
K-12 STEM
education.
3. The federal
government
prioritizes
informal
STEM
education
initiatives,
like extra-
curricular
local and
national
STEM
competitions.
1. The
HKSAR
Government
plays a
dominant role
in developing
STEM
education in
schools
through
enacting
policy and
appropriating
funding,
resources and
support.
2. STEM is
considered as
a measure to
equip future
generations
for the keen
global
competition
ahead in HK.
3. The HK
government
promotes and
starts STEM
early in
primary and
secondary
schools to
narrow the
talent gap.
1. The
academic
syllabus in
national
schools is
decided by
the MOE.
2. The
curriculum
review cycles
take place
once every 6
years,
involving
experts from
MOE,
schools,
institutes of
higher
learning
(IHLs) &
industries.
3. The
government’s
support,
mandate, and
influence for
STEM
education
takes the form
of resource
allocation,
policy
documents &
expertise
availability.
1. The latest
nationwide 12-
year basic
education
curriculum
guidelines treat
STEM as
interdisciplinary
education and
allocate it to the
technology
domain of the
upper
secondary
education stage.
2. For STEM-
related
departments in
higher
education,
MOE policies
focus on
expanding
enrollment by
10-15%,
diminishing the
restriction on
the teacher-
student ratio,
and
encouraging the
offering of
interdisciplinary
programs.
3. The
government
supports setting
up 100 Maker
and Technology
Centers to
design STEM-
related
activities and
provide the
modules to K-
12 teachers.
4. Informal
STEM activities
(such as camps
& competitions)
are highly
supported by
the government.
1. STEM
education is a
national
agenda item.
The U.S.
Department of
Education
provides a
variety of
resources,
including
funding
opportunities,
relevant and
timely
information
about STEM.
2. STEM
education
became a
priority for
the U.S. when
The White
House (2018)
released The
STEM
Education
Strategic Plan,
Charting a
Course for
Success:
America’s
Strategy for
STEM
Education.
Source: Extracted from Lee et al., 2022.
3.A comparison of the status of STEM education
This section presents a comparison of the current STEM education in K-12 schools for the five APAC
countries. It comprises six comparative components, namely: contexts of STEM education, STEM education
system/framework, STEM-related activities in non-formal education, STEM learning assessment and career
development, STEM teacher qualifications and professional training, and current STEM education reform
and policy discussions. Table 2 shows the summarized information of each country for the six above-
mentioned components.
A Comparison of STEM Education Status and Trends in Five Highly Competitive Countries in the Asia -
Pacific Region
18
2.1 Contexts of STEM education
The current STEM practices in schools, key statistics, and highlights of policies and strategies in the five
APAC countries are discussed here. Since traditional education systems prefer a monodisciplinary approach,
it is observed that many countries perform STEM education by means of teaching each subject of S.T.E.M.
separately. Among these four subjects, mathematics and science are typical core subjects that are commonly
included in the curriculum from primary to secondary school. By contrast, the subjects of technology and
engineering are not so prevalent, and fewer efforts have been concentrated on them. Some countries, such as
SG, are examples of the separated STEM education approach. Even though monodisciplinary teaching is still
popular in most countries, the interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary approach is highly promoted. As for the
proportion of students in STEM fields, some countries, such as SG and TW, have more than one-third of
students in STEM postsecondary education. Compared to males, females are underrepresented in STEM
fields in most countries.
The prioritization of STEM education is apparent from the government’s policy or strategies in HK, TW,
and the USA. For example, the USA has developed international/national educational standards in each of
the STEM disciplines. Thus, states could build up their own STEM programs and curricula based on the
standards. On the other hand, Canadian federal policies and funding have little effect on K-12 STEM
education.
2.2 STEM education system/framework
This part focuses on discussion of the goals of STEM education, types of K-12 schools offering STEM
education, and school categories especially emphasizing STEM education in formal education. For the goals
of STEM education, a number of countries (such as HK and the USA) have set up clear goals for STEM
education in formal documents. For example, in the USA, there are three broad goals for STEM education—
building strong foundations for STEM literacy, increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM, and
preparing the STEM workforce for the future. Similarly, HK’s STEM education aims to cultivate students’
interest and solid knowledge in STEM, to strengthen their integrated ability to apply knowledge and skills
across different disciplines, and to nurture innovative talents for the needs of the 21st century. On the other
hand, in Taiwan, explicit goals of STEM education have not been generated yet, due to the inconsistencies
between policy makers and practices of STEM education.
In terms of types of K-12 schools offering STEM education, it is observed that STEM education is
usually embedded in several subjects from primary schools to upper secondary schools. Specifically, STEM
is predominantly taught in the traditional subjects of mathematics or science (biology, physics, or chemistry)
separately. In addition, mathematics and science are usually mandatory in compulsory education, and more
optional courses about science, technology, engineering, or STEM-related subjects are offered as students
move to higher educational levels.
The National Academy of Sciences (2011) in the USA identified four school categories in formal
education that emphasize STEM education, namely elite STEM-focused schools, inclusive STEM-focused
schools, STEM-focused vocational and technical education (VTE) schools or programs, and STEM programs
in non-STEM-focused schools. Among the five APAC highly competitive countries, the STEM-focused VTE
schools or programs and STEM programs in non-STEM-focused schools are more popular, while the other
two categories are uncommon. In countries where vocational education sectors are prominent (such as SG
and TW), there are many VTE schools or programs at the upper secondary education level that are designed
to prepare students for a broad range of STEM careers. As for STEM programs in non-STEM-focused schools,
they are often provided in countries where comprehensive high schools are prevalent (such as the USA).
Many of these schools offer advanced coursework through the Advanced Placement (AP), International
Baccalaureate (IB) programs, and other opportunities for highly STEM motivated students.
2.3 STEM-related activities in non-formal education
All countries in this comparison attach great importance to the STEM-related activities in non-formal
education, no matter how many efforts they have made in formal education. Such activities are provided
through diverse forms, including STEM workshops, competitions, exhibitions, summer/student/maker camps,
seminars, school visits, field trips, and so on. Most of them are offered after class time or out of school by
government-related organizations/ schools, private cram schools, associations, NGOs, private companies,
industries, museums, science centers, universities, and so on. Among them, museums are one of the most
popular ways to access STEM.
A Comparison of STEM Education Status and Trends in Five Highly Competitive Countries in the Asia -
Pacific Region
19
2.4 STEM learning assessment and career development
Students’ STEM learning performance in the five APAC countries is commonly measured by international
assessments as well as by national or school-based tests in each country. On the whole, most countries
perform well on science and mathematics literacy measures in PISA or TIMSS. Some countries’ scores are
even ranked at the top of all participants (such as HK, SG, and TW). As for the gender difference, boys tend
to have higher scores in mathematics and science measures than girls. In the USA, although K-12 students
do not perform that well as compared with their peers from around the world, the USA has some of the best
STEM-related programs in higher education that cultivate a great number of talents in STEM fields. It is
worth noticing that only mathematics and science literacy are measured in PISA or TIMSS; no valid
international measures are issued to assess students’ learning performance in technology and engineering.
In addition to joining the international assessments, some countries hold national assessments in the
form of standardized tests, proficiency tests, or surveys. For example, in the USA, the National Assessment
of Educational Progress (NAEP) is developed to measure student achievement nationally and periodically. It
covers not only mathematics and science, but also technology and engineering literacy in STEM fields; the
results are presented in "The Nation's Report Card" for stakeholders to access.
Regarding students’ STEM career development, some countries have special emphases on students’
vertical articulation to post-secondary STEM-related programs or horizontal transition to STEM-related
workplaces. For example, in HK, after the junior secondary level, students have many paths for STEM career
development, such as opting for STEM-related elective subjects, taking career-oriented “Applied Learning
Courses,” choosing STEM-related undergraduate courses in universities, and so on. In SG, students have to
study and meet minimum grade requirements at the secondary school and junior college levels to further
pursue a STEM course at tertiary level. For countries with a vocational education system at the secondary
education level (such as TW), students in STEM programs usually have internship or apprenticeship
opportunities to prepare them for a specific type of job, in order to meet the STEM-related industry’s need
for highly skilled employees.
2.5 STEM teacher qualifications and professional training
Because some countries treat S.T.E.M. as monodisciplinary subjects and the others treat it as a
transdisciplinary subject, STEM teacher preparation programs are offered on a spectrum in terms of the
degree of integration. At one extreme, STEM remains as distinct and disjointed subjects wherein teachers are
trained as experts in one single field. Taking CA and HK as examples, neither STEM teacher qualification
requirements nor STEM-majored pre-service programs are offered. Teachers obtain most of their STEM
teaching competencies through in-service training activities or from their own experience. At the other
extreme, STEM teachers are well trained in an intradisciplinary or transdisciplinary manner. For example,
Taiwan provides three types of integrative/interdisciplinary STEM teacher education preparation or in-
service training: master’s and doctoral degree programs, certificate or diploma programs for pre- and in-
service teachers; and short-term training programs, courses, or workshops for in-service teachers. Overall,
ongoing efforts have raised awareness of integrated STEM learning among STEM teachers in these five
APAC countries.
2.6 Current STEM education reforms and policy discussions
In recent years, STEM education reform occurs prevalently from either central government or local
government in these countries. In addition, policy discussions often concentrate on how to introduce the
integrated STEM education into the classrooms or through out-of-school activities, how to support and
cooperate with various partnerships to enrich the diversity of STEM initiatives, and so on. For example, the
White House in the USA has set out federal strategies for a future that all Americans will have lifelong access
to high quality STEM education. Besides the efforts from federal government, a number of professional
associations and nonprofit organizations (such as ITEEA, Battelle for Kids, etc.) have been involved in the
development of standards for STEM literacy and have illustrated the framework of skills and knowledge
students need to succeed in work and life. In countries such as SG and TW, recent curriculum reform has
taken STEM education into consideration. Taking TW as an example, more opportunities to implement
integrative STEM education are provided in the school-based curriculum in the last curriculum reform.
A Comparison of STEM Education Status and Trends in Five Highly Competitive Countries in the Asia -
Pacific Region
20
Table 2: A summary of the status of STEM education
Comparison
Components
Countries
Canada (CA)
Hong Kong SAR
(HK)
Singapore (SG)
Taiwan (TW)
United States of
America (USA)
Contexts of
STEM
education
1. STEM is found
to be a catalyst for
economic and
cultural change;
however, federal
policies and
funding for K-12
STEM education
have little effect on
practices in
schools and
teacher education.
2. Most efforts
have been
concentrated on
math and science.
Engineering
education is
excluded from K-
12. The ITEEA
Standards for
Technological and
Engineering
Literacy is the first
step to promote TE
in K-12 STEM
education.
3. Women are
underrepresented
in STEM
postsecondary
education: only
22% in
engineering, 30%
in math and
computer science,
32% in physical
sciences, and 60%
in biological
sciences.
4. About 50% of
STEM
postsecondary
students are
immigrants.
5. 46% of
Canadian youth
anticipate working
in a STEM career.
1. Policy documents
announce the
positioning of
STEM education in
HK indicating that
the promotion of
STEM education is
a key emphasis
under the ongoing
renewal of the
school curriculum.
2. The ”Final
Report” from the
Task Force on
review of the
school curriculum
suggests setting up
a designated
committee at
policy level, to
appoint STEM
coordinators, and
to provide central
guidelines for
schools.
3. Surveys & study
findings revealed
concerns over the
shortage of STEM
teachers &
inadequate
training,
availability of
professional
development of
STEM education,
etc.
4. Around 65 to
80% of primary
and secondary
schools have
implemented
STEM education.
1. K-12 STEM
education is
carried out in a
monodisciplinary
manner, where
science, math,
design and
technology &
computing are
taught as separate
subjects by
different teachers.
It works well with
high levels of
proficiency.
2. The
conversations
among educators
and policy makers
about integrated
STEM learning
started in 2019 and
are still ongoing.
3. Around 58% of
polytechnic students
take STEM-related
courses in post-
secondary schools
in 2020; the
percentage in ITE is
62%, and it is 47%
for university.
1. The government
has emphasized
STEM education
for all education
levels to deal with
the insufficiency of
STEM talents.
2 .Engineering
design and
interdisciplinary
STEM education
have been
addressed at upper
secondary schools,
while the main
ideas still focus on
technology
education.
3 .Some local
education bureaus
have started to
exert their policies
of STEM
education.
4. There is a lack
of systematic
organization for
STEM education in
basic education.
5. The number of
students in STEM
has declined from
35.4% to 31.8%
over the past
decade.
6. There is a low
proportion of
females majoring
in STEM: 15% in
science, 28% in
technology, 30% in
engineering, &
32% in math.
1. There is no
national
curriculum for
STEM
education, while
there are
international/
national
educational
standards in each
of the STEM
disciplines for
states to build
their own STEM
programs and
curricula.
2. There are a
few notable
national
curriculum
programs that
focus on STEM
education, such
as Project Lead
The Way
(PLTW),
ITEEA’s
Engineering by
Design (EbD),
Engineering is
Elementary
(EiE), etc.
A Comparison of STEM Education Status and Trends in Five Highly Competitive Countries in the Asia -
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21
STEM
education
system/
framework
1. Elementary
schools are
somewhat inter- or
trans-disciplinary.
2. Nearly all public
secondary schools
have isolated math
and science and
some form of
technology
courses, but no
engineering
requirements.
3. Very few
technical
(vocational)
secondary schools
are specific to the
T in STEM and
specialize in
functional
integration or
applications of
math and science.
In the early 2000s,
they had
reconfigured into
Career Technical
Centers. Later,
since priorities
shifted to grant
“polytechnic”
institutions, it has
been ineffective in
providing
alternatives to
comprehensive
high schools for
STEM immersion.
1. HK's STEM
education aims to:
1. cultivate
students’ interest
in science,
technology and
math, and develop
among them a
solid knowledge
base; 2. strengthen
ability to integrate
and apply
knowledge and
skills across
different STEM
disciplines; 3.
nurture creativity,
collaboration and
problem-solving
skills; and foster
innovation and
entrepreneurial
spirit as required in
the 21st century.
2. The scope of
implementing the
curriculum change
of STEM
education covers
all primary
through General
Studies and the 3
STEM KLAs in
secondary schools.
In senior
secondary school,
STEM learning is
offered to those
who opt for
STEM-related
subjects.
3. STEM
education depends
on the readiness of
teachers and
schools. It varies
among schools.
1. At primary
schools,
fundamental
learning of math
from grades 1 to 6,
and science from
grades 3 to 6.
2. For secondary 1
& 2, science & math
are mandatory. At
secondary 3 & 4,
different science
subjects are offered
for selection, and
elementary math is
required. The
Applied Learning
Programme (ALP) is
available in all
secondary schools; it
emphasizes the
applications of
knowledge and
skills learnt in
schools to problems
in industries and
society. 41% of
schools have STEM-
related ALP.
3. Advanced
learning of math and
science is offered at
junior colleges; ITE
provides a
curriculum aimed at
the acquisition of
practical STEM-
related skills.
4. Polytechnics train
professionals to
support
technological and
economic
development.
Universities have
programs to develop
top talents in
S.T.E.M.
1. STEM education
goals (generated
from survey and
literature review):
cultivating
students’ 21st-
century skills,
STEM literacy,
and capabilities in
interdisciplinary
problem solving.
2. In the 12-year
basic education,
STEM-related
activities
generally take
place in school-
developed
curricula (in
'alternative
curricula' for
primary and
middle schools/
'alternative
learning periods'
for upper
secondary
schools).
3. Teachers have
limited
knowledge of
creating STEM
activities; thus,
‘Maker and
Technology
Centers’ help to
develop STEM
modules for
teaching. Also,
MOST has
encouraged the
development of
school-orientated
STEM activities,
like the
Mushroom
experiment,
Incubators design,
Mousetrap car,
Bridge design,
Seismic structure
design, etc.
1. Three broad
goals for STEM
education:
building strong
foundations for
STEM literacy;
increasing
diversity, equity,
and inclusion in
STEM; preparing
the STEM
workforce for the
future.
2. Some high
schools focus on
STEM education.
Also, students
can enroll in
competency-
based career and
technical
education (CTE)
programs and
receive
specialized
training in a
STEM-related
field.
3. High school
graduates can
enroll in a
community
college, or
university that
offers STEM-
related degrees.
A Comparison of STEM Education Status and Trends in Five Highly Competitive Countries in the Asia -
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22
STEM-related
activities in
non-formal
education
1. In 2018, the
government
launched the
“Future Skills”
initiative; a few
projects directly
linked to K-12
school systems,
like the “STEM
Skills and an
Innovation Mindset
for Youth” project.
2. The Canada
Agriculture and
Food Museum,
Aviation and Space
Museum, and
Science and
Technology
Museum offer
sensory
experiences that
immerse both
young and old in
the many ways
science and
technology
intersect with
Canadians’ daily
lives.
3. The Gearing
Up program
immerses
children, youth,
and teachers in
summer STEM
camps to
investigate
engineering,
science, and
technology in a
fun, safe, &
educational
environment.
1. Numerous out-
of-school activities
provided by
government-
related
organizations and
schools, NGOs and
private companies,
including
competitions,
exhibitions, talks,
workshops,
courses, field trips
and camps.
Workshops and
courses combined
make up over 80%
of the total
number, and most
activities are
related to the
science subject.
3. The faculties of
science and
engineering of
local universities
organize STEM
education summer
programs for
secondary
students.
4. Associations of
different subject
disciplines
organize IT
workshops,
seminars,
competitions,
sharing,
exhibitions and
exchange tours for
teachers and
students.
1. Co-curricular
activities after class
time.
2. Three
government
affiliated
organizations play
crucial roles:
(1) Science Centre
Singapore (STEM
Inc.) offers STEM
workshops for
students and
teachers, and runs
various award
programs that make
STEM ideas and
knowledge
accessible to the
masses.
(2) A*STAR offers
attachment
programs and
scholarship
programs to nurture
young scientific
talents.
(3) IMDA
develops and
regulates the
infocomm and
media sectors to
create opportunities
for growth in STEM
talents.
3. Private
companies,
industries, and non-
government
organizations offer
STEM-related
programs, holiday
camps, enrichment
classes,
attachments, etc.
1. An increasing
number of STEM
activities provided
by the government,
educational
institutions or
associations, and
private cram
schools, such as:
Maker camps,
Annual National
Technology
Competition,
GoSTEAM
competition, Start!
AI Car competition,
etc.
2. STEM aids
developed by
publishers enrich
young children’s
STEM
experience.
3. Exhibitions of
multiple STEM
themes in museums
offer students
STEM learning
experiences with
non-formal access.
Most states
recognize the
importance of
STEM and have
developed
websites
providing
resources or have
set up centers to
support STEM
education via
offering grants,
events, activities,
competitions,
etc. (such as the
STEM Action
Center in Utah).
A Comparison of STEM Education Status and Trends in Five Highly Competitive Countries in the Asia -
Pacific Region
23
STEM learning
assessment and
career
development
1. Most Canadian
students perform
well enough on
measures in PISA
of reading, math,
and science
proficiency, and
in TIMSS.
2. Most 8th
graders achieved
average results on
the Pan-Canadian
Assessment
Program.
3. There are no
measures of
performance in
engineering and
technology
education.
1. Hong Kong
students'
performance in
PISA has declined;
ranking in science
competence fell
from 2nd in 2006 to
9th in 2018, and the
percentage of “high-
achievers”
decreased by 8.1%.
2. After junior
secondary level,
students have many
paths for STEM
career development,
such as opting for
STEM-related
elective subjects,
taking a career
oriented “Applied
Learning course,”
and choosing
STEM-related
undergrad courses
in university.
However, the actual
figures of students
taking them needs
further observation.
3. Around 34% to
36% of students
graduated from the
University Grants
Committee funded
STEM-related
undergrad courses,
while they failed to
attract students with
the best academic
results.
1. Assessment is
through students’
results from school-
based tests,
examinations, and
national
standardized tests
(like GCE, PSLE),
or IB.
2. For PISA 2018,
93% of students
attained a level 2 or
higher for math,
higher than the
OECD average of
76%; 37% of
students at a level 5
or higher, compared
to 11% for the
OECD average. For
science, 91% of
students attained a
level 2 or higher,
compared to 78%
for the OECD
average; 21% of
students scored at
level 5 or 6, while
the OECD average
is 7%.
3. To pursue a
STEM course at
tertiary level,
students must meet
minimum grade
requirements at the
secondary school
and junior college
levels.
1. Taiwan students
performed well in
PISA & TIMSS. In
PISA 2018,
students ranked 5th
in math and 10th in
science (out of 79
countries). In
TIMSS 2019, the
4th graders’ math
& science ranked
4th and 5th (out of
58 countries); the
8th graders ranked
2nd (out of 39) for
math & science.
2 .A worldwide
assessment for
STEM
performance has
not yet been
developed. To fill
the gap, a NTNU
STEM research
team has been
working on a
context-based
STEM competency
online assessment
to assess students’
performance in
interdisciplinary
problem-solving
competency.
1. Some of the
best STEM-
related
programs are in
U.S.
universities;
however, K-12
students do not
perform that
well in the
STEM areas as
compared with
their peers from
around the
world.
2. The U.S.
ranked 15th in
math and 11th in
science in
TIMMS 2019
assessments &
25th in PISA
2018
assessments.
3 .In the math
and science
areas, only a
third of 8th grade
students were at
the NAEP
Proficient level;
however, the
technology and
engineering
literacy
assessment has
promising results
(46%).
4. The U.S.
ranked 7th (out
of 37 OECD
countries) in
science, 25th in
math, & 5th out
of 14 in
computer
information
literacy.
(Elementary
and Secondary
STEM
Education
Report in 2021)
A Comparison of STEM Education Status and Trends in Five Highly Competitive Countries in the Asia -
Pacific Region
24
STEM teacher
education
1. STEM remains
distinct and
disjoint subject
areas in
secondary
teacher education
programs. No
program offers
an integrative
STEM major,
and very few
have integrative
STEM courses.
2. Because of the
lack of incentive
or leadership for
change, the key
policy document
from the
Association of
Canadian Deans
of Education
does not mention
STEM,
integration, or
interdisciplinarity
1. There is no
STEM teacher
qualification
requirement
stipulated nor
STEM-majored
pre-service
training; most of
the competence for
implementing
STEM resides in
teachers’ expertise.
2. The EDB offers
3 categories of in-
service PDP,
including (1)
planning of a
school-based
cross-disciplinary
STEM curriculum,
(2) enrichment of
knowledge and (3)
introduction of
appropriate STEM
teaching and
assessment
strategies.
3. There are
training courses
organized by local
universities, like
“Coding Education
Centre”, "STEM
Ed Lab”, “Hour of
Code”.
1. Teachers in
national schools
under the MOE
must have
obtained their
teaching
certification from
the NIE.
2. Pre-service
teachers take the
Bachelor of Science
(Education)
program, pedagogy-
related courses and
intern in schools to
learn how math &
science are taught.
They have a 5-week
teaching
assistantship in year
2, a 5-week and a
10-week practicum
in years 3 and 4,
respectively. They
have to complete a
final-year research
project.
3. Ongoing efforts
raise awareness of
integrated STEM
learning among
STEM teachers.
4. In-service
teachers can
participate in the
annual Empowering
STEM Education
Professional
program to build
their confidence and
ability.
Three major types
of STEM teacher
education
preparations:
1.Degree
programs:
(1) International
doctoral program
in integrative
STEM education in
NTNU
(2) A master’s
degree in
interdisciplinary
STEM education in
NTHU
2. Certificate/
diploma programs
for pre- and in-
service teachers.
3. Various short-
term training
programs (training
courses,
workshops) for in-
service teachers.
4. Overall, the
development of
STEM teacher
training has
gradually received
increasing
attention; a well-
constructed teacher
education system
for pre- & in-
service STEM
teachers is
expected in the
near future.
1. Most teacher
education
programs are
subject specific
(e.g., science
education).
2. There is a
teacher
shortage.
Teachers may
be asked to
teach in areas
where they have
not been
formally
trained. In some
states,
individuals are
being hired to
teach without
formal training
in teaching.
Current STEM
education
reforms and
policy
discussions
1. STEAM has
found its broadest
appeal in Canada
in elementary
schools,
extracurricular
enrichment
programs and
within indigenous
communities.
2. Canadian
researchers and
teacher educators
have been keen to
demonstrate the
viability of STEM
as more than four
discrete
disciplines, for
example,
ESTEEM,
STeeeEM,
STEAMBED,
STEHM/STEM-H,
STEMMed, and
STREAM.
Two endeavors on
change-capacity
building are
focused on:
1. Integrative
STEM efforts by
the Education
University of
Hong Kong to
provide teachers
with a summary of
literature from
foreign countries
to formulate a
theoretical basis in
STEM
implementation
and a set of
guidelines in
undertaking the
planning and
offering of
integrative STEM
education.
2. The “CEATE
Awardee
1. In 2019, SG
revealed the
revised science
curriculum
framework that
had Science for
Life and Society as
the goal for
science education
in Singapore.
2. There are
currently
discussions around
how integrated
STEM education
can be introduced
into schools to
augment science
and mathematics
teaching.
1. Holding
activities to
cultivate female
STEM talents.
2. Developing
training courses to
assist STEM
teachers who
commit to
implementing
STEM education.
3. Providing
various STEM-
related activities
for students to
explore their
interests and
enhance their
willingness to
pursue STEM
careers.
4. Applying
multiple digital
devices to help
STEM courses
delivery.
1. “Charting a
Course for
Success:
America's
Strategy for
STEM
Education” was
released by The
White House
(2018) that set
out a federal
strategy for a
future where all
Americans will
have lifelong
access to high-
quality STEM
education.
2. The
“Standards for
Technological
and Engineering
Literacy” was
released by
ITEEA in 2020.
practices.
A Comparison of STEM Education Status and Trends in Five Highly Competitive Countries in the Asia -
Pacific Region
25
3. The BC MoE
introduced Applied
Design, Skills and
Technologies to
resolve the
challenge of
clustering
business, home
economics, and
technology in the
schools.
4. The Council of
Canadian
Academies offered
a thorough
analysis of
challenges to
STEM education
and a persuasive
argument for
equity, diversity,
and inclusion.
Workshop” aims
to gather and
formulate a
professional
knowledge base in
teaching DT and
STEM and to share
knowledge with
local and global
TE and STEM
communities
through paper
presentations.
3. Battelle for
Kids’ (2019)
“P21’s
Frameworks for
21st Century
Learning”
defined and
illustrated the
skills &
knowledge
students need to
succeed in work
and life.
4. The U.S.
organizations
published a joint
document
“STEM4: The
power of
Collaboration
for Change” that
identified 3 main
principles to
drive and
implement
STEM education
research and
Source: Extracted from Lee et al., 2022.
4. A comparison of trends and issues in STEM education
In this section, major trends and issues in STEM education among the five APAC countries are discussed and
compared in terms of the aforementioned aspects such as contexts and status of STEM education. In this
paper, “trend＂is defined as “a general direction in which something is developing or changing” and “issue”
is referred to as “an important topic or problem for debate or discussion.” Table 3 shows a summary of the
STEM trends and issues in the 10 highly competitive countries.
3.1 Trends in STEM education
For the trends in STEM education among the five APAC countries, some directions are similar, while others
are specific for individual countries. Seven prevalent trends are observed as follows. First, increasing the
momentum and support of STEM teachers’ preparation and professional development through various
channels of capacity building (e.g., HK, SG, TW, and the USA). Second, strengthening networks or partners
from outside of schools to diversify students’ STEM learning experiences in non-formal education (CA and
TW). Third, increasing the importance of STEM education through introducing STEM curricula in formal
education, making STEM-related national policies and reforms, incorporating STEM policy into school
assessment, or continuing national investment in STEM research (HK, SG, and the USA). Fourth,
accelerating efforts to increase the number of women in the STEM field (SG and TW). Fifth, applying digital
devices, eLearning video services, or social media in STEM teaching and learning (TW and the USA). Sixth,
enhancing the provision of inclusive and integrated STEM environments such as applying the phenomenon-
based approach/ project-based learning/authentic hands-on problem solving, emphasizing holistic or
transversal competency development, or proposing a well-structured STEM instructional design model (HK
and TW). Seventh, increasing emphases on technology subjects such as programming and computer
technology in formal curricula (CA).
In addition, a word cloud of the STEM trends was generated that provides a visual representation of
the above STEM trends (see Figure 1). In the figure, the larger and bolder the term, the more frequently it
appears in the content of STEM trends in the five APAC country reports. The word cloud indicates that STEM
education, learning, teachers, students, and technology are the five most relevant words in these texts. The
results are closer to the above paragraph where the authors find that most countries recognize the importance
that educators play in STEM education. In addition, students’ STEM learning experience in school or out-of-
school is highlighted and technology is treated as an integral part of STEM education.
A Comparison of STEM Education Status and Trends in Five Highly Competitive Countries in the Asia -
Pacific Region
26
Figure 1: A word cloud of STEM trends in the five APAC countries
3.2 Issues in STEM education
Most countries have recognized the importance of STEM talents and workforce and have made great efforts
to promote STEM education through various forms of access. However, they face a number of problems and
important topics for debate or discussion. Below are six issues commonly raised by these five APAC
countries.
First, the traditional concept of separate S.T.E.M. is dominating in schools, in which discipline-based
curricula and teaching is popular (CA, SG, TW, and the USA). Under such a framework of discrete subjects,
schools might offer activities and units that challenge students to integrate the four STEM subjects, while
integrative STEM courses are rare, especially in secondary schools or higher levels of education.
Second, since traditional education prefers isolated STEM subjects, integrative STEM
education/curricula are not accessible, flexible, or sufficient, especially in formal education (CA, SG, TW,
and the USA). For example, curriculum materials in schools are mostly designed for disciplinary-oriented
teaching rather than for the integrated STEM approach. The lack of dedicated time for STEM education is a
prevalent issue, as well as the insufficiency of interdisciplinary collaboration among teachers. Besides the
lack of an integrated STEM curriculum, it is often observed that technology and engineering education have
been overlooked. These subjects are not often offered in all schools throughout these countries, and their
accessibility could be further reduced through the learners’ subject choices, especially when they move to
higher levels of education where there are more diverse and academic-oriented elective courses. Besides, new
technologies such as AI and related materials need further efforts to develop and deliver to increase students’
technology competency.
The third issue is related to STEM teacher education and professional development. In most countries,
the teacher education traditionally emphasizes discipline-oriented teaching; that is, most teacher education
programs still focus on preparing teachers in a specific STEM discipline (e.g., science education or math
education). Therefore, teachers usually lack integrated STEM competence and teaching approaches,
particularly at the secondary or higher education levels (CA, SG, TW, and the USA). Some countries not
only face the problem of low teacher readiness to embrace integrated STEM, but also suffer from a deficit in
the number of qualified STEM teachers and lack of teacher preparation to teach technology in K-12 schools.
To overcome these problems, some countries are making vigorous efforts to establish a systematic STEM
teacher education program, to provide diverse and accessible in-service training for professional development,
or to encourage research on developing a variety of STEM interdisciplinary modules in order to search for
the best practices for developing and delivering STEM education.
Fourth, students’ low interest in STEM careers and ambiguous job preferences in STEM fields were
identified as one major issue that might lead to a lag in preparing a highly talented STEM workforce (e.g.,
SG and the USA). STEM in most countries is not an examinable subject, so even though STEM lessons are
A Comparison of STEM Education Status and Trends in Five Highly Competitive Countries in the Asia -
Pacific Region
27
oftentimes applied and hands-on based and are considered enjoyable, such enjoyment may not easily translate
into pursuit of STEM higher degrees or careers. Inspiring students to pursue a career in STEM requires more
teachers to have some understanding of the STEM careers available, and to be actively involved in
introducing STEM careers to students, especially at an early age.
Fifth, gender stereotyping or underrepresentation of females in STEM fields is another concern that
has drawn a great deal of attention (e.g., TW and the USA). Since a high differential in female and male
participation in the technology-based subjects is observed, a focus has been placed in schools from early
years to higher education to increase female representation.
Sixth, the lack of a clear understanding of STEM or the lack of explicit goals and policy for STEM
education in K-12 schools is another issue (e.g., HK, SG, TW, and the USA). The concept of STEM education
in some countries has not reached a consensus among the academic bodies, professional associations, and
policy making communities. The term oftentimes encompasses both the singular and integrated disciplines,
and the distinction is not clear. For example, STEM in SG has been used to refer to the mono-disciplines and
integrated disciplines interchangeably, so teachers are often confused about how it differs from what they are
currently teaching as STEM subjects in schools. As for the issue of the lack of STEM education, it differs by
country. In the USA, the goals to improve students’ achievement in science and mathematics to cultivate
STEM-related professionals are clear. On the contrary, the lack of explicit goals and policy for STEM
education in Taiwan is a problem, indicating that there is a gap between policy-making and school practice.
More open and rigorous discussions among stakeholders are needed to make a systematic STEM policy and
goals to clearly guide the implementation of STEM education at all levels of education.
Table 3: A summary of trends and issues in STEM education
Comparison
Components
Countries
Canada (CA)
Hong Kong SAR
(HK)
Singapore (SG)
Taiwan (TW)
United States of
America (USA)
Major trends
in STEM
education
1. Indigenous ways
of knowing and
learning have been
taken up
2. EDI in STEM
education has been
advocated
3. Expanding the
STEM cluster, like
STEAM,
STEAMD
(design), STEM-H
(health), etc.
4. Alternatives to
STEM (STS &
STSE) have been
considered
5. Resolving the
neglect of T&E in
STEM.
1. Official
positioning of
STEM: more a
curriculum
renewal than a
formal discipline
of learning.
2. Authentic hands-
on problem
solving as a core
learning
experience in
STEM.
3. Diversifying
implementations
for
promoting STEM
education by
schools.
4. The evolving
popularity of
iconic items in
STEM promotion.
5. Variation in
channels of
capacity building
for STEM
curriculum change.
1. Reforming STEM
through STEM
education review
2. Increasing the
momentum for
STEM education
professional
development
3. Meeting the
increasing demand
for STEM-related
jobs
4. Creating a culture
to support lifelong
learning and a
versatile workforce
5. Accelerating
efforts to increase
the number of
women in STEM
6. Increasing
research into
STEM education
1.Cultivation of
female talents in
STEM fields
2.Organizations
and institutions
help with
developing
STEM teacher
training
3.Great attention to
STEM learning
outside schools
4.Proposal of a
well-structured
STEM
instructional
design model
5.Development
of a context-
based assessment
system in STEM
education
6.Applying digital
devices in STEM
education
1. STEM educators
will use more
eLearning video
services even after
the pandemic is
over.
2. STEM educators
will incorporate
social media into
their classrooms
3. STEM educators
will use more
artificial
intelligence (AI) in
the classroom
4. Increase the
importance of
STEM education
5. Increased teacher
training in STEM
education
A Comparison of STEM Education Status and Trends in Five Highly Competitive Countries in the Asia -
Pacific Region
28
Major issues
in STEM
education
1. Isolated STEM
subjects in schools
and few integrative
STEM courses
2. STEM education
is not easily
accessible or
accommodated
3. MST pre-exists
as the core of
STEM; rethinking
MST configurations
is challenging.
4. Too many
alternatives to
STEM, like MST,
STS, etc.
5. Full membership
in clusters is not
easy; T&E are
neglected
1. Positioning and
clarity of the vision
and actions of
STEM curriculum
change.
2. The challenging
status of learning
in practical
problem-solving
with tangible
outcomes.
3. Implication of
the “partial
curriculum” status
of the STEM
implementation.
4. Iconic objects as
obscurers of the
purpose and course
of STEM
implementation.
5. The challenged
effectiveness of
supports and
enrichments from
PDPs.
6. “What will
STEM be in the
near future?”: A
cautionary probing
into the
momentum of
STEM Promotion
in schools.
1. Lack of a clear
understanding of
STEM
2. Insufficient
protected time for
STEM
3. Low levels of
teacher readiness
to embrace
integrated STEM
learning
4. Low interest in
STEM careers
5. Conflicting
assessment
demands for
STEM learning
6. Rigid traditional
structures of
STEM in higher
education
1.Lack of explicit
STEM education
goals and policy
in K-12 education
2.Lack of systematic
STEM teacher
education
programs in
higher education
3.Teachers’
challenge of
adopting hands-on
activities in online
STEM education
4.Lack of varied
STEM
interdisciplinary
modules
5.Diversity issues in
classrooms
1. The need for
STEM education is
questioned.
2. The best
practices for
developing and
delivering STEM
education are still
being searched for.
3. Improving
student
achievement in
STEM requires a
major reform.
4. Inspiring
students to pursue
a career in STEM
requires more
teachers’ active
involvement.
5. Most teacher
education
programs
are still focused on
preparing teachers
in a specific STEM
discipline.
6. Lack of qualified
STEM teachers.
Source: Extracted from Lee et al., 2022.
CONCLUSIONS
Based on the above results and discussions, 11 conclusions, corresponding to the comparison components,
are drawn as follows:
1. The supply and demand of the STEM-skilled workforce is unbalanced, with a shortage of STEM workers
a common challenge for all five countries.
2. Some countries have a decentralized schooling system wherein STEM curriculum and policy are under
the jurisdiction of each state/province/territory. For the other countries with centralized systems,
national curriculum guidelines for STEM have been published to guide teaching in all schools.
3. The strength of government influence on STEM education varies across countries. The central/federal
government in some countries plays a dominant role in promoting K-12 STEM education, while the
others lack direct control of local governments, leading to a heterogeneous landscape of STEM education
around the country.
4. Many countries perform STEM education by means of teaching each STEM subject separately; besides,
technology and engineering have been less emphasized than science and mathematics.
5. STEM education is usually embedded in traditional subjects (such as mathematics and science) from
primary to upper secondary school. The STEM-focused VTE schools/programs and STEM programs in
non-STEM-focused schools are more popular school types in formal education that emphasize STEM
education.
6. All countries attach great importance to the STEM-related activities in non-formal education. They are
delivered in the forms of STEM workshops, competitions, exhibitions, camps, seminars, school visits,
and field trips by government-related organizations, schools, associations, NGOs, private companies,
industries, museums, science centers, universities, and so on.
7. Students’ STEM learning performance is measured by international and national assessments as well as
A Comparison of STEM Education Status and Trends in Five Highly Competitive Countries in the Asia -
Pacific Region
29
by school-based tests. Overall, most countries perform well on science and mathematics literacy measures
in PISA or TIMSS. In addition, boys tend to outperform girls on STEM learning assessments.
8. STEM teacher preparation programs are offered on a spectrum of integrative degree: at one extreme,
teachers are trained as experts in one single field, and at the other, they are trained in transdisciplinary
programs. Overall, ongoing efforts raise an awareness of integrated STEM learning among STEM
teachers.
9. STEM education reform is instigated prevalently by central government or sometimes local government.
Most policy discussions concentrate on how to introduce the integrated STEM education into the
classroom, or how to cooperate with various partnerships to enrich the diversity of STEM initiatives.
10. Major trends in STEM education include enhancing STEM teacher preparation, strengthening
networks from outside of schools, increasing women’s involvement in the STEM field, enhancing
inclusive and integrated STEM environments, and so on.
11. Some issues these countries encounter include isolation of STEM subjects in schools, lack of qualified
STEM teachers and teacher preparation programs, insufficient access to integrative STEM curriculums
in school, lack of clear understanding of STEM, and so on.
To sum up, STEM education is drawing great attention in the five APAC countries, and some of
them even consider it as a priority in current education reform. Despite the fact that the traditional education
with a focus on mono-disciplinary approach is dominating, a growing number of educators are aware of the
importance of applying an interdisciplinary approach to encourage students to understand themes and ideas
that cut across disciplines, to connect them between different disciplines, and to extend their relationship to
the real world for better redefining of problems outside of normal boundaries and generating solutions based
on a new understanding of the complex situations. Assuredly, STEM education will continue to be promoted
in these countries and will move forward in a rapid manner as concerted efforts are made by policy makers,
teachers, and the other stakeholders. In addition, VET may play a vital role as a natural delivery system for
STEM education.
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